When it comes to weight loss, most people assume the solution is simple: eat less, cut carbs, and do more cardio. But according to Nicole, a fat-loss coach who specializes in helping women over 40, those common strategies are often the exact things sabotaging your metabolism.
In a recent TikTok video, Nicole explained that no matter how disciplined you are with dieting or how many hours you spend working out, fat loss will be “damn near impossible” if your metabolism is working against you. The good news? Once you stop these three metabolism-destroying habits, your body can finally start responding the way you want it to.
Here are the three things she says you need to quit immediately if you want to lose fat and keep it off.
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1. Constantly Dieting
Nicole warns that staying in a calorie deficit all the time “quite literally drives your metabolism into the ground.” When you’re stuck eating very little day after day, your body adapts by lowering the number of calories it burns — leaving you tired, frustrated, and seeing no results.
“Your metabolism is an accumulation of what you feed it,” Nicole says. If you’re always eating at super low calories, you’ve trained your metabolism to survive on that amount, making further fat loss nearly impossible. Instead of endless dieting, she emphasizes the importance of “normalizing calories” and creating energy balance so your metabolism can work with you, not against you.
2. Overdoing Cardio
Cardio has plenty of cardiovascular benefits, but Nicole stresses that it’s one of the most overvalued tools for fat loss. If you’re constantly relying on long cardio sessions while under-eating, you’re probably burning through precious muscle mass instead of fat — taking you in the opposite direction of your goals.
Instead, Nicole recommends focusing your energy on strength training and progressive overload. Building muscle not only shapes your body but also drives up your metabolic capacity, helping you burn more calories even at rest. “Cardio should be a tool, not a crutch,” she explains.
3. Skipping Rest And Recovery
If you’re training seven days a week and living by the “more is better” mentality, Nicole says you’re setting yourself up for failure. An overly stressed, under-fueled, and under-recovered body won’t perform well — and certainly won’t let go of stubborn fat.
“Better is better,” she explains. Prioritizing rest days, fueling your body properly, and lowering stress are just as important as the workouts themselves. Without recovery, your metabolism can’t thrive, and fat loss will stall no matter how hard you push.
The Bottom Line
Weight loss isn’t about eating as little as possible or working out nonstop — it’s about creating a metabolism that works for you. Nicole’s advice is simple but powerful: stop dieting all the time, stop relying on excessive cardio, and stop neglecting rest. When you shift your focus to building strength, fueling your body, and recovering properly, your metabolism will finally support your fat-loss goals.
